


JWP 2019 #19: Messing About in Boats

by methylviolet10b



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes (Downey films)
Genre: Boats, Prompt Fic, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 03:14:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19880680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/methylviolet10b/pseuds/methylviolet10b
Summary: Holmes improvises a last-minute change of direction. Written for JWP 2019 #19.





	JWP 2019 #19: Messing About in Boats

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Completely silly. Written in a huge rush. You have been warned.
> 
> Prompt: Messing About in Boats. Include a water-based form of transport in today's work.

“This is all wrong.”

A part of Watson couldn’t disagree. If you had told him this morning that he would find himself at a garden party, being rowed out to a picnic on a tiny island in the middle of a lake on a grand estate, and that the person doing said rowing would be Sherlock Holmes, not John Watson, well… “What’s wrong, Holmes?”

“Saltsine isn’t in any of the rowboats, and Jessup is looking far too relaxed.”

“I looked around earlier, and Saltsine was at the shore with the rest of the party.”

“Which makes it doubly telling that he isn’t here now. This lake party is a distraction, keeping everyone else occupied while Saltsine has the run of the estate.”

“What can we do? We can’t just turn around without being spotted.”

“We can, and no one will think twice about it, if we have good cause.”

“Holmes, what do you mean – oh, no.”

Watson barely had time to brace himself before Holmes stood up, pointed at something, windmilled his arms, and then gracefully, accidentally on purpose fell overboard. The splash was enormous. Watson barely managed to keep the rowboat from swamping and sending him over the side to join Holmes.

Cries of alarm sounded from the other boats. Watson grabbed the oars before they could go adrift and offered one to Holmes, to help pull him back to the side.

“I’m perfectly all right,” Holmes called out, clinging to the boat’s edge. “Go on without us.”

“Do you want to try climbing aboard, or would you rather just hang on while I row us to shore?”

“I believe staying in the water is the more prudent course until you can bring us back to land. The ruse worked perfectly, but I’m afraid my trousers were a bit of a casualty. I’ll need to borrow your coat once we come ashore, or I’ll wind up scandalizing more than the ducks.”

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted July 19, 2019.


End file.
